Multiple punch press



Sept. 5, 1944. D. G. QELSON ET AL MULTIPLE PUNCH PRESS Filed Aug. 17, 1942 4 sheets sheet -1 Sept 5, 1944- DfG. NELSON ET AL 2,357,683

MULTIPLE PUNCH PRESS Filed Aug; 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Dal/id Give/$00 BY Joseph unco M,

-.A EY I Sept. 5, 1944. D. G. NELSON ET AL 2,357,683

MULTIPLE PUNCH PRESS Filed Aug. 17, 1942 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. '5, 1944 UNITED S'lT'ATlEIS1 PAT e N "'a's'smsa Eur": OFFICE I MULTIPLE runes mess w David G. Nelson, New Kensington, and Joseph C. Runco, Arnold, Pa., assignors' to Aluminum Company 01' America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 17, 1942, Serial No. 455,028

7 Claims.

This invention relates to presses and more particularly to a multiple punch press for forming cup-shaped articles by uninterrupted successive operations.

The invention particularly pertainsto an apparatus for fabricating by successive drawing opera-tions cup-shaped articles fromcylindrical blanks which have a convex or protuberant end and whichalsohave a greater length than diam-- eter, throughout most of the fabricating procedure' The apparatus comprising the. invention consists broadly of a series of dies and corresponding reciprocable punches, wherein a preformed cup-shaped blank isforced through a die of a diameter somewhat smaller than the diameter of the original blank by a specific punch reciprocating in the die under pressure. The dies forming the aforementioned series in the presentv apparatus consist of a cylindrical member through which is provided a bore having a conical aperture for facilitating the entrance of the of push-throughdies andpunches reciprocating in said dies and are progressively advanced, on their sides from one die to the next. succeeding die until the finished articles are ejected from the press. I v v Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple punch press for the fabrication of cup-shaped articles from cup-shaped blanks which have irregularities in the form of ears and which as a result of these irregularities are of non-uniform height, wherein the blanks are progressively advanced from die to die on their sides and are maintained insubstantially parallel relationship with the punches and dies throughout the progressive movement thereof;

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple punch press for forming cuppreformed blank and which'is rigidly supported in-a die block against the force applied by the operation in the die of a cylindrical punch. This die has been referred to in the art and will be referred to throughout the specification and ap-,

pended claims as a-push-through die in which a punch of the above-mentioned design operates.

The invention also contemplates the inclusion in the foregoing multiple press other specific metal forming operations which cooperate with the push-through die and constitute a part thereof or which perform metal working operations separate and distinct from the push-through die operation.

The present apparatus is particularly adapted to the fabrication of small diameter cup-shaped articles which, due to their particular shape and to their shape throughout thevarious stages of fabrication, do not readily lend themselves to fabrication in the multiple push-through die presses heretofore known and available.

One object of the invention is to provide a multiple punch press for the fabrication of elongated cup-shape'cl articles from cup-shaped blanks having protuberant bottoms wherein the blanks and partially formed articles are drawn by an uninterrupted series of step-byestep operations.

Still another object of the invention isto provide a multiple punch press for the. fabrication of elongated cup-shaped articles from cupshaped blanks by'a series of rapid step-by-step operations wherein the blanks and partially shaped metal articles by an uninterrupted series portion of the blank delivery chute and the re lationship of the punches tothedies;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line III-III of s Figure 2, the article transfer actuating means and fingers, except the ends thereof, punches, screws and other similar members being shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the die ass'em I bly taken on line IV--IV of Figure 3 showing the portion of the blank delivery chute;

Figure 5 is a section of the die assembly taken on line VV of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section of on line VI-VI of Figure 3; I

Figure 7 is a side elevation of an original blank from which a finished elongated cup-shaped article is made;

Figure 8 is a side elevation ofa partially formed article or blank showing a general shape at an intermediate step in the drawing operation; and

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the finished article.

the die assembly taken spacer ring 3| and collar 34.

of anvil 29 is seated in nest 35 of plate 30. Spacer tional view of the die assembly showing the punches withdrawn from the dies.

Figure 11 is the same view as Figure with the punches shown at the completion of the drawing operation.

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view taken on line XIIXII of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a portion of the view of Figure 6, showing the position of certain elements of the apparatus during the operation thereof.

Referring-now to the drawings in which a preferred form of the present invention is shown and in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, numeral I denotes a base having mounted thereon frame 2 on which are supported flywheel 3, bearirms 4, crankshaft 5, connecting rod 6, ram 1, punch and die assemblies 8 and 9, guide pins Ill, only one of which is shown, bolster blank feeding chute i2 and a conventional blank hopper I3, its actuating mechanism l4 and support l5. Ram is actuated through connecting rod 6 by conventional crankshaft 5 and motor-driven flywheel 3. While the crank has been employed as the actuating means in the preferred embodiment, any other suitable means may be used, for example, an eccentric hearing may be substituted for the crank.

In the die assembly 9,'which comprises one of the principal features of the present invention, die block I1 is shown in which push-through d e l3, stripper IQ for removing cup-shaped articles, designated as C, from punch following the drawing operation, and die insert 2| are removably supported in a groove. In die block 22 die 23, stripper 24 for removing articles from punch 25, and die insert 26, all of which are identical in construction to the corresponding parts of die block 11, are also removably supported in a groove. Strippers l9 and 24 which consist of a ring of three segments held together by a coil spring and of an aperture somewhat smaller in diameter than that of the conforming aperture of the die, are seated in die inserts 2| and 26 with enough clearance to permit a slight expansion of the ring when the article being formed by the die is forced therethrough. To assist in centering punch in die 23 during settin up operation, punch guide 21 is provided consisting of a removable bushing secured in die block Seated in die shoe 285 and aligned with pushthrough die 23 and punch 25 is anvil 29, the contact end of which is shaped to coin the closed end of he cup-shaped articles and which is retractably retained in the die shoe by plate 30, spacer ring 3|, sleeve 32, and coil spring 33 seated on The contact end ring 3| is held in place by cap screws 38 and 31 shown-in broken lines in Figure 1. By this construction when a cup-shaped article on the end of a punch following the forming operation in die 23 is forced into the hole in nest 35, theanvil is retracted until it strikes sleeve 32 whereupon the bottom of the article is coined and flattened and the corners are squared. When the punch retracts, the article is kicked from the hole in nest 35 by spring 33, pushing oncollar 34 and spacer ring 3| to return anvil 29 to its original position, the position shown in Figure 3.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown here, a cuttingedge or piercing die 33 is provided for piercing the closed end of cupshaped articles. The cutting edge which is seated in die shoe "23 and aligned with punch 39 and larger than the disc removed from the article during the piercing operation. The cylindrical member 4| is retractably retained in die shoe 23 by members similar to the retaining members of Y anvil 29, that is, by plate 33 and nest 43, spacer ring 44 secured to die shoe -23 by cap screws 45 and 46 shown in Flgure 2, sleeve 41, coil spring 48 seated on spacer ring 44 and collar or stop 43. Coil spring 48 permits cylindrical member 4| of the cutting edge to retract under the force of punch 39 during the operation, thereby avoiding injury to the punch or die when an article hecomes jammed therein or when the punch and die are not in true alignment. A chute the top end of which is shown at 50 is provided to remove by gravity the severed disc which failed to be rejected through hole 42 during the piercing operation.

In the die assembly, the push-through dies are arranged in offset relationship, as shown in Figure 3, in order that the partially formed articles of the shape hereinbefore referred to may betransferred from die to die with a movement of a min mum number of mechanical parts in timed blanks with die I8 is defined on one side by metal plate 54 and on the other by glass or transparent plastic plate 55. Immediately behind die block l1 and parallel therewith is a second article transfer groove 56 which communicates with the ex t of die l8 and with the entrance of die 23 and in which finger 51 reciprocates for moving partially formed articles from die l8 to die 23. A similar article transfer groove 58 is provided behind die block 22 in which finger 59* reciproeates for. transferring partially formed articles from the ext of die 23 to the piercing die 38 and for ejecting the finished article "from the press down chute 60. The contact end of each article transfer finger is arcuate to approximate the curvature of the cup-shaped article or blank.

To control the movement of the blanks and partially formed articles during transfer from chute to die and from die to die and to assist in aligning them with the dies and punches, a hold down block is preferably provided in each article transfer groove. Hold down block 6| of article is supported by pin 62 and held in proper alignment with die I8 by a slot in which it slides up and down to permit a blank to slide beneath it and to align with die I8. Flat spring 63 one end of which is attached to one end of block 5| and the other end of which is attached to the blank chute i2 is employed to provide the proper pressure on the blank by the, block. The blank contact end is arcuated similar to the contact end of finger 53. In article transfer groove 56 is hold down block 34 shown in detail in Figures 6, 12 and 13. This block is pivoted on pin 63 and supported in groove 56 in spaced relation to the bottom thereof by article stop 66 and finger 51. alignment with die I8 retain the article deposited from punch 29 and die I8 at right'angles with groove 56. Grooves 69 and I9 which are in alignment with die 23 align the articles therewith at the end of the transfer stroke. Flat spring ,II, attached to hold down block 64 and die block W, is provided to facilitate proper positioning of the block 64 and to impart the proper amount of friction between a partially formed article or blank and the bottom of groove 56. I In article transfer groove 58 hold down block I2 and aligning grooves 13, I4, 15, and 16, shown in Figure 5, similar to those of transfer groove 58, are provided. The block I2 is pivoted on pin I25 and held in spaced relation to the bottom of groove 58 by finger 59. Flat spring 11 for adjusting the pressure which block I2 will exert on a partially formed article is attached to block I2 and to die block 22.

To form a rigid die assembly, die blocks-and Aligning grooves 61 and 68 which are in v plates comprising the die assembly'are .held together by a plurality of machine screws I8 and the die assembly is supported on die shoe 28 by cap screws I9 and 89, shown on Figure 4. Die

shoe 28 is rigidly supported on bolster I I by suitable cap screws, not shown, in slots 8| and 82 of die shoe 28.

In article transfer means, fingers 51 and 59 are rigidly connected to each other by cross bar 83 and to reciprocating rack 84 running on pinion '85, whereby fingers 51 and 59 are caused to op- ,erate in unison from the exit of dies I8 and 23 mit the cross bar to slide on finger 53 between stops 81 and 88, thereby permitting the rack 84 to reciprocate farther than finger 53. The distance between the stops determines the length of the stroke of finger 53 by permitting cross bar 86 to advance and retract that distance without a corresponding movement of finger 53, the extent a of the movement of finger 53 being the difference between that distance and-the distance which rack 84 moves.

In punch assembly 8, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the punches which have heretofore been incidentally referred to are arranged in horizontal alignment with one another and in alignment with their respective dies in which they operate. Punch 29 is firmly seated in punch holder 89. A cup centering device 99 consisting of a sleeve which is retractably mounted on punch 29 and held in proper operating position by cross arm SI and guides 92 and 93 and coil springs 94, only one of which is shown in Figures 1 and 2, is provided for centering the blank on punch 29 and die I8. Punch 25, which is somewhat longer than punch 29 because die 23 in which it operates is off- ,set to the rear of die I8, is firmly seated in punch holder 95. Punch 39 is designed to cooperate with cutting edge 38 and is securely held in punch is meshed with'pinion 85 and is held in proper rotation of crankshaft 5 and reciprocat on of conrelation thereto by bearing 91' shown by broken lines in Figure 3. Pinion with gear 98 to which it is securely connected is journalled on shaft 99,

supported'by bracket I99 on bolster II. Gear 98 is meshed with rack I9I which is held at one end by support I92, on punch plate9'l and which is supported at the other end by bearing I93 in die shoe 28. By the foregoing construction, rack I9I reciprocates when ram 1 and punches 29, 25, and, 39 advance toward the dies and retract therefrom causing gear 98 and pinion 85 to oscillate in unison and rack 84 to reciprocate, thereby advancing and retracting fingers 53, 51 and 59. As shown in the drawings, gear 98 is larger than pinion 85 to permit the punches to travel a greater distance to and from the diesgthan the article transfer fingers need to travel to transfer a blank to the first dieand partially formed articles from die to die.

' A conventional blank hopper and delivery mechanism are shown in Figure 1 wherein I5 denotes the hopper support on which are supported platform I94, hopper frame I95, hopper actuating means I4, tumbling ring I96, and disc I91, shield I98, and shield supports I99. The actuating means is an electrical gear head motor secured to platform I94. Tumbling ringl96 and disc I91 which are held together by machine screws II9 to form a single rotating unit are rotated and supported-by a shaft, not shown, journalled in hopper frame I95 and rotated *by motor I4. Shield I98 is held in spaced relation to tumbling ring I96 by supports I99, only two being shown.

Chute I2 is provided for delivering the preformed cup-shaped blanks from hopper I3 to throat- 52 in article transferring grooves 5|. In the preferred embodiment, a chute' consists of a rectangular trough the open side of which is closed by glass or transparent plastic plate III removably secured to the trough by strips H2. The glass is preferably on the side of the chute facing the punches. The lower end of chute I2 is closed with removable glass plate 55 held in "place by turn button II3.

1 In operation of the present multiple press, with punches 29, 25 and 39 withdrawn from the dies I8, 23 and 38' and article transfer fingers 53, 51 and 59 advanced to the delivery position as shown in Figures 3 and 10, cup-shaped blanks are selected by rotation of tumbling ring I96 and disc I91, discharged into chute I2 and delivered down said chute to throat 52, coming to rest on finger 53 with their open ends facing the punches. Ram I andpunches 29, 25 and 39 are advanced towards the dies I8, 23, and 38 by rotation of crankshaft 5, and reciprocation of connecting rod 6 and in unison therewith, rack I9I is advanced rotating gear 98 and pinion 85. Rack84 running on pinion 85 retracts blang transfer finger 53 from beneath the column of blanks permitting the bottom blank to drop into groove 5| immediately in front of finger 53, and simultaneously therewith said rack also retracts fingers 51 and 59 to the right of dies I8 and 23, respectively. When punches 29 and 25 advance through their respective dies-carrying the cup-shaped blanks, strippers I9 and 24 close around their respective punches behind the articles and when the punches retract deposit the articles in the article transfer grooves immediately in front of fingers 51 and 59 and in aligning grooves 61 and 69, and I3 and 14. Continued necting rod 6 withdraws ram 1 and punches 29,

25 and 39 to their original position. Withdrawal of rack I9I with ram I rotates gear 98 and pinion rate and distinct operation.

85 in the opposite direction and advances rack 84 and article transfer fingers 53, 51 and 59, delivering a blank to die I8 and partially formed cupshaped articles under pressure of hold down The foregoing operation is constantly repeated as one continuous operation.

In this embodiment of the present invention only two push-through dies are shown, these, in adjacent relationship, and only two other kinds of forming operations are included, one in conjunction with and forming a partcf the pushthrough die operation and the other being a sepa- It is to be understood that any plural number of push-through dies or any number of other specific forming operations may be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, it is contemplated in this invention for the other specific metal forming operations to precede or to be interposed between the successive push-through die operations.

We claim:

1. In a multiple punch press for forming cupshaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a horizontally reciprocable ram, a, plurality of punches on said ram, a plurality of push-through dies offset successively one behind th other on a common substantially horizontal plane for cooperating with said punches, means for delivering blanks to first die, means operating in timed relation with movement of said punches for progressively transferring article blanks from die to die on their sides, and means for maintaining said blanks in substantially parallel relationship with said punches and dies throughout progressive movement of said blanks from die to die and for aligning said blanks therewith including a yieldable hold down means.

2. In a multiple punch press for forming cupshaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a horizontally reciproable ram, a plurality of punches on said ram, a plurality of push-through dies offset successively one behind the other on a common substantially horizontal plane for cooperating with said punches, means for delivering blanks to first die, means operating in timed relation with movement of said punches for progressively transferring article blanks from die to die on their sides, means for actuating said article transfer means in unison with said ram, and means for maintaining said blanks in substantially parallel relationship with said punches and dies throughout progressive movement of said blanks from die to die and for aligning said blanks therewith including a yieldable hold down means.

3. In a multiple punch press for forming cupshaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a horizontally reciprocable ram, a plurality of punches on said ram, a" plurality of push-through dies offset one behind the other on a common substantially horizontal plane for cooperating with said punches, at least one die of another specific forming operation, means for delivering blanks to first die, means operating in timed relation with movement of said punches for progressively transferring article blanks from die to die on their sides, means for actuating said blank transfer means in unison with said ram, and means for maintaining said blanks in substantially parallel relationship with said punches and dies throughout progressive movement of said blanks from die to die and for aligning said blanks therewith including a yieldable hold down means.

4. In a multiple punch press for forming small elongated cup-shaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a horizontally reciprocable ram, a plurality'of punches on said ram, a plurality of push-through dies onset one behind the other on a common substantially horizontal plane to cooperate with said. punches, a piercing die, a chute for depositing blanks beside entrance of first die, a finger for aligning said blanks with first die, a groove and reciprocable finger therein for transferring blanks formed by said first die to a second die, groove and reciprocable finger therein for transferring blanks formed by said-second die to said piercing die and for ejecting finished article from the press, hold down blocks in each blank transfer groove for maintaining said blanks in substantially parallel relationship to said punches and dies throughout progressive movement of said blanks from die to die, a rack and pinion for actuating in unison said article transfer fingers, a rack and gear operating in unison with said ram for actuating said rack and pinion, whereby said reciprocable punches and said article transfer fingers operate in timed relation to one another.

5. In a multiple punch press for forming small elongated cup-shaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a horizontally reciprocable ram, a plurality of punches on said ram, a plurality of push-through dies offset one behind the other on a common substantially horizontal plane to cooperate with said punches, a chute for depositin blanks beside entrance of first die, a finger for aligning said blanks with first die, a groove and reciprocable finger therein for transferring blanks formed by said first die to a second die, groove and reciprocable finger therein for transferring blanks formed by said second die to a third die and for ejecting finished article from the press, hold down blocks in each transfer groove for maintaining said blanks in substantially parallel relationship to said punches and dies throughout progressive movement of said blanks from die to die, grooves in said hold down blocks and in said article transfer grooves at the entrance and exit of each of said push-through dies and in align ment therewith for aligning and retainin in alignment article blanks, means for actuating said blank transfer fingers in unison with said ram, whereby said reciprocable punches and said article transfer fingers operate in timed relation to one another.

' 6. In a multiple punch press for forming cupshaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a mechanism for transferring cup-shaped blanks from the exit of one die to .the entrance of the next succeeding die, comprising. a Substantially horizontal article transfer groove, a finger adapted to reciprocate in said groove between, the exit of one die and the entrance of the next succeeding die for advancing said blanks, a pivoted block in said groove for frictionally engaging said blanks durin their movement in said groove, and a yieldable means for causing said block to impart a predetermined amount of pressure on said blanks, whereby said blanks are maintained at all times in substantially parallel relationship with said dies.

7. In a multiple punch press for forming cupshaped articles from cylindrical blanks having a closed protuberant end, a mechanism for transferring cup-shaped blanks from the exit of one die to the entrance of the next succeeding die, comprising a substantially horizontal article transfer groove, 9. finger adapted to reciprocate in said groove between the exit of one die and the entrance of the next succeeding die for advancing said blanks, a pivoted block in said groove for frictionally engaging said blanks during their movement in said article transfer groove, a yieldable means for causing said block to impart a predetermined amount of pressure on said blanks, and transverse grooves in said block and in said article transfer groove at the exit and entrance of the dies and in'alignment therewith, whereby said blanks are maintained at all times in substantially parallel relationship with said dies.

- DAVID G. NELSON.

JOSEPH C. RUNCO. 

